Bid to narrow ‘conscience’ bill fails on near-party-line vote

Here’s a news item from the Associated Press:  BOISE, Idaho (AP) — House Democrats failed to narrow a bill that seeks to give health workers’ permission to abstain from giving care they find morally objectionable. Democrats proposed an amendment on Tuesday to strike a provision that frees nurses, pharmacists and others from having to provide end-of-life treatment for dying patients, if it violates their conscience. Ketchum Democrat Rep. Wendy Jaquet says this would complicate cases involving elderly patients by allowing nurses to back away from providing care at a crucial time. But just one of the chamber’s majority Republicans, Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, joined the Democrats’ push to alter the bill, which has already cleared the Senate, while one minority Democrat, Rep. James Ruchti, D-Pocatello, voted with the Republicans. The bill is intended to shield nurses and pharmacists opposed to providing treatment for end-of life care, abortions, emergency contraception and stem-cell therapy. State law now affords doctors conscience protections involving abortions. The House will likely debate the bill this week.